Creation Science Store

Intelligent Design

Intelligent
Design (ID) refers to a theory of origins or a
scientific research program. In addition, the term is used
to describe the community of philosophers, scholars, and
scientists who are seeking evidence of design in nature. The
scientific theory of intelligent design holds that;certain features of the universe
and of living things are best explained by an
intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as
natural selection.
[1]

ID theorists draw exclusively upon
empirical evidence to support the existence of a
creative intelligence or designer. ID purports that design
can be detected without any understanding of who the
designer is or why the agent acted, or even how the
phenomenon in question was actually produced. ID is a unique
scientific position that stands in stark contrast to
naturalistic,
materialisticphilosophy of
science which puts forth
abiogenesis rather then intelligent agents as the main
mechanism that created biological systems for sustaining
life.
It can also clearly be distinguished from
religious creationism in that it stakes no claim
regarding the specific identity of the creator, nor does it
use references from scripture when forming theories about
the
history of the world. In fact, many ID theorists support
the idea of
common descent and billions of years of time. ID simply
postulates that certain features within the
cosmos present clear evidence of being deliberately and
intelligently designed.

Example of intelligent design in
nature are based on analogy, a common scientific procedure.[2]
It is argued, for example, that if biological components are
analogous to those produced by intelligent agents, then an
intelligence is the most reasonable cause. ID proponentw
generally infer that all complex biological systems are
generated by intelligent agents. This aspect of intelligent
design is also an integral part of the
creation model put forth by
theists. As such,
creationists are encouraged to study the evidence and
examples of design that are illustrated by ID advocates.
This unique scientific thinking allows for the development
of independent models of design for
Christians,
Jews,
Muslims, or any other religious group which proposes
such a process for life.

By taking this position, intelligent
design has been welcomed in some
government schools and in industries that normally hold
prejudices against religious
creationism. For example, the ID documentary titled
Unlocking the Mystery of Life has been shown on PBS
television in several states in the USA.

Concepts

Irreducible complexity

Irreducible complexity is a concept
popularized by Lehigh University biochemist
Michael Behe in his 1996 book
Darwin's Black Box, which supports what is known as
intelligent design theory. If something is irreducibly
complex, then it can not be reduced to less complex
functions, and therefore, could not develop by assembling
preexisting components. Intelligent design theorists argue
that while some systems and organs can be explained by
evolution, those that are irreducibly complex cannot, but
instead an intelligent designer must be responsible.

Specified complexity

The Intelligent Design concept
of specified complexity was developed by mathematician and
philosopher
William Dembski. Dembski claims that when something
exhibits specified complexity (i.e., is both complex and
specified, simultaneously) one can infer that it was
produced by an intelligent cause (i.e., that it was
designed), rather than being the result of natural processes
(see
naturalism). He provides the following examples: "A
single letter of the alphabet is specified without being
complex. A long sentence of random letters is complex
without being specified. A Shakespearean sonnet is both
complex and specified." He states that details of living
things can be similarly characterized, especially the
"patterns" of molecular sequences in functional biological
molecules such as
DNA.

Anthropic
principle

The anthropic principle is used
to develop scientific explanations in
cosmology. It originated from observations that the
earth uniquely and perfectly meets the requirements for
life, and more specifically human life. Anthropic comes from
the
Greek word
ἄνθρωπος,
anthrōpos ("Man"). It is often set up as being in
opposition to the
Copernican Principle.

The very presence of life within the
universe is reliant upon a large number of extremely
improbable events, and even the slightest alteration would
make it impossible for life to exist. Everything from the
particular energy state of the electron to the exact level
of the weak nuclear force seems to be tailored for us to
exist. We appear to live in a universe dependent on several
independent variables where only a slight change would
render it inhospitable for any form of life. And yet, here
we are. Proponents of intelligent design draw support from
this fact because it strongly suggests that the
cosmos has been specifically designed.

Research tool

Intelligent design (ID) can be used as
a scientific tool to deduce whether a system's components
are the product of chance, natural law, intelligent design,
or some combination. A research program usually begins by
observing the types of information produced by intelligent
agents, and then attempting to find objects in nature which
have the same types of properties. Intelligent design has
applied these scientific methods to detect design in
irreducibly complex biological structures, the
complex and specified information (CSI) content in DNA,
the life-sustaining physical architecture of the universe,
and the geologically rapid origin of biological diversity in
the
fossil record.[1]

ID research methodology follows the
same
basic process used by all scientists, which generally
includes observations, hypothesis, experiments, and
conclusion. The ID researcher typically begins with an
observation that intelligent agents produce a specific type
of CSI. It is then logically hypothesized that if natural
objects are designed, they will also possess significantly
high levels of this or other types of CSI. The scientist
will then conduct experiments to test if they contain CSI.[1]

Irreducible complexity (IC), as defined by
Michael Behe, is one easily testable form of complex and
specified information. The process used to detect IC in
biological systems is known as
reverse engineering, which is historically an
architectural/engineering/structural method of studying
man-made machines and structures. Reverse engineering is
particularly useful in detecting IC in molecular biology
systems. This is because the living cell is filled with
molecular machines that perform various purposeful tasks. At
the same time, these biomachines are made of amino acids and
proteins, which are derived by direct production from the
informational code in the DNA. This yields the cell, its
individual parts, and the internal means of production,
highly investigable.[3]
By using reverse engineering, structures can be examined to
see if they require all of their parts to function. When ID
researchers find irreducible complexity in biological
systems, they conclude that such structures were designed.[1]

Restricted intelligent design

Restricted Intelligent Design is what
is generally referred to by the term "intelligent design."
It is used to distinguish it from the broader concept known
as
General Intelligent Design developed by
Robert Herrmann. Restricted Intelligent Design deals
mainly with biology, where it seeks to identify specific
evidences of design. Restricted Intelligent Design studies
design only by comparing it to human design, making it a
poor model for dealing with a higher intelligence such as
God.

General intelligent design

The General Intelligent Design Model (GID-model
or simply GID) is an interpretation of the
General Grand Unification Model (GGU-model) - a
mathematical model - constructed by
Dr. Robert A. Herrmann. The research started in August
1979 and the modern mathematical theory used for the
modeling processes is obtained via
nonstandard analysis. Unlike
Restricted Intelligent Design which studies design and
intelligence is only inferred by comparison with a few human
designs, the GID-model defines intelligence and shows, by
direct evidence, that each physical process and each
physical result produced by each process is intelligently
designed.

Examples of ID

Molecular
Machines

Molecular machines, such as the
flagellum is a common example used to demonstrate the
mechanisms in nature that illustrate intelligent design
because it is
irreducibly complex. The flagellum is a molecular motor
used by microscopic organisms, such as
bacteria and
protozoans, to propel themselves through an aqueous
medium.

Fibonacci
Sequence

The fibonacci numbers are a sequence
that is described by their mathematical relationship. The
sequence of numbers can be found displayed in many
organisms, such as the spiral patterns in the heads of
sunflowers. God has arranged sunflower seeds without
gaps in the most efficient way by forming two spirals.

Scientific predictions

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Predictions In
Astronomy/Cosmology

ID predicts that the
Universe had a beginning.

ID predicts an increase
(and not a decrease), as science progresses, in
the number of finely-tuned parameters pertinent
to the laws and constants of physics.

Predictions in Biology

ID predicts the presence
of specified complexity in living systems.

ID predicts that, as
scientific research progresses, biological
complexity will be seen to increase over time,
and information will have a more and more
central role in the governing of life’s
operations.

ID predicts an increase
in evidence for the non-adequacy of the
DNA-centric view of living systems.

ID predicts that complex
molecular convergence will happen routinely.

ID predicts the presence
of irreducible complexity with respect to
macromolecular systems and organelles.

ID predicts that the
prevalence of functional protein folds with
respect to combinatorial sequence space will be
extremely small.

ID predicts that
evolutionary pathways to new protein functions
will require multiple co-ordinated non-adaptive
mutations (more so than likely to be achieved by
a random process).

ID predicts that DNA,
which was once considered to be junk, will turn
out to be functional after all.

ID predicts delicate
optimisation and fine-tuning with respect to
many features associated with biological
systems.

ID predicts saltational,
or abrupt, appearance of new life forms without
transitional precursors.[1]

”

“

ID predicts:

1. Information stored in DNA can
be quantified and measured. 2. Biological complexity
can be quantified and measured. 3. The blood
clotting process is irreducibly complex. 4. Bacteria
flagella are irreducibly complex. 5. The cilium is
irreducibly complex. 6. The illuminating mechanism
of a firefly is irreducibly complex (that one’s my
own) 7. There are geologic processes that cause
rapid fossilization to occur, probably in about 100
years rather than epochs of time. 8. The fossil
record will show morphology as punctuated
equilibrium instead of phyletic gradualization.[4]

Intelligent Design in the News

Within the March issue of
Nature magazine there
is an argument for ID Their hypothesis is
tremendously significant and its publication represents
a genuine breakthrough. The authors argue that known
dental mutants (in mammals) invariably show a decrease
in complexity, losses of structure, etc. What is never
observed, however, are increases in complexity (e.g.,
novel cusps). March 7, 2012

Origins of Nature Debate Dr. Rowan Williams, and
Professor Richard Dawkins participated in a "Dialogue
Event" in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford University on
the topic of: “The Nature of Human Beings and the
Question of their Ultimate Origin.” The University of
Oxford. February 28, 2012. Origins of Nature Debate]
Dr. Rowan Williams, and Professor Richard Dawkins
participated in a "Dialogue Event" in the Sheldonian
Theatre, Oxford University on the topic of: “The Nature
of Human Beings and the Question of their Ultimate
Origin.”

Stephen Meyer debates Keith Fox As most of you
probably already know, Stephen Meyer was in London last
week. During the course of his visit, he engaged in a
radio debate involving theistic evolutionist Keith Fox,
which was chaired by Justin Brierley. Uncommon
Descent. November 24, 2011

Evolutionary biochemist claims to have proved common
descent. Actually, Douglas Theobald has shown that
one common ancestor is more likely than many—after
assuming abiogenesis, which his analysis does not treat.
What he actually has shown is that all of life follows
common design principles. Creationism examiner.
May 13, 2010.

2009 Daniel of the Year Stephen C. Meyer, director
of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and
Culture, is awarded World Magazine's prestigious honor
for his fight to show that all lives have eternal value
because they are the work of a Creator and not the
product of chance. World Magazine Vol. 24, No. 25.
December 19, 2009.